The Padres head back to San Diego down two games in the National League Division Series.
Mason Miller, the best closer in baseball, couldn’t record the final six outs of NLDS Game 2 on Sunday. With the bases loaded, Miller gave up a two-out, two-strike walk-off single to Brewers star Jackson Chourio.
“The cardinal rule is you don’t beat yourself. I beat myself today. A base hit with nobody on doesn’t win them the game. A base hit after you walked the bases loaded does,” Miller said.
Opponents averaged .135 against the Miller in the regular season in high-leverage situations. But the Padres closer walked three batters with two outs, something that can never be done in the postseason in a close game.
The best of the NL Brewers managed to snag wins for both games at American Family Field to kick off the playoff series. Now, the Padres are backed into a corner and the odds are stacked against them.
Teams that have gone 0-2 have gone on to win the NLDS just 10-of-93 times (11%). The feat hasn’t been achieved the the Yankees dropped the first two games of the ALDS to Cleveland in 2017.
The Padres have bet on their bullpen all season long and they did so again in the first two games of the NLDS. San Diego lost both and will have to muster a win in Game 3 to fend off the Brewers.
